Top 10 Iconic Sports Trophies Every Australian Should Know

Proud to call itself a sporting nation, Australia boasts a tremendous historical legacy of athletic prowess across a myriad of sports and competitions. Ever a world-beater when it comes to a contest, the Aussie brings the same spirit even into the contest of cricket, rugby, tennis or swimming.

Over the decades, they have won numerous trophies that come to symbolize the clearest definition of sporting success in Australia.

These shining silver cups and shields will always mean so much more than any mere prize they are – the blood, sweat and tears from the athletes who fought so hard for them.

Few can deny the history or tradition behind the iconic trophies, with thousands of hopes riding on them each time they’re hoisted aloft by a victorious captain or champion.

Whether you’re a sports enthusiast or looking to celebrate achievements with awards, these iconic designs have inspired modern wholesale trophies online, blending tradition with contemporary elegance.

Here’s a rundown of the 10 “greatest” and priciest trophies that no true Australian would go past without knowing – the quintessential yardsticks of sporting greatness throughout Australia’s national definition.

1.The Melbourne Cup

The Melbourne Cup is a name that every true-blue Australian sports fan should know – it’s one of those trophies synonymous with the Australian sporting culture.

The shiny golden cup, awarded for the first time in the score of 1861, symbolizes the ultimate glory in horse racing down under. Standing proud 18 carats and almost half a meter tall, it is a display in itself. 

But the Cup is not just a pretty face by historical importance and with some serious prize money on the table: every November the Melbourne Cup is the race that stops the nation.

Aussies from all walks of life gather around the telly or head to Flemington Racecourse decked out in their finest fascinators to cheer on their favorite steed. 

Whether an enthusiast of racing or a lover of a good excuse for a punt and a party, this is a true-blue Aussie event.

2.The Ashes Urn

The Ashes Urn is, without a doubt, the most famous trophy in sport and is something that every true-blue Aussie should be familiar with.

It measures just 11cm in height – a small terracotta urn, which also holds within it the history of the contest between Australia and English cricket.

The story goes that after the first win by Australia on English soil in 1882, a satirical obituary in a British newspaper read out, “English cricket died: the body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia.”

The next English tour to Australia then became known as the quest to “regain the Ashes,” and so, the legend was born.

This urn is thought to contain the ashes of a wooden bail signed by the great cricketers, and to this day, it is being presented to the winning team in the test series between the two nations.

3.The Norm Smith Medal

One of the most iconic and most sought-after trophies in Aussie sports is the Norm Smith Medal. It is awarded each year to the best player on the ground in the AFL Grand Final.

The medal itself is named after the legendary coach of the Melbourne Football Club, Norm Smith.

Everyone and anyone who claims to be a footy fan knows all about this medal and dreams of having his favorite player to hoist it in a one-day event in September.

Witnessing them receiving the award in the middle of the MCG before 100,000 screaming fans is always something to be remembered.

It is a beautiful medal; gleaming silver with an action shot of the player taking a mark etched on the front. Some names gracing the list of past winners include footy greats James Hird, Chris Judd, Dustin Martin, and Luke Hodge.

4.The Allan Border Medal

The Allan Border Medal is another such Australian sports award which every true blue sports fan Down Under ought to know about.

This prestigious gong is awarded to the most deserving Australian cricketer each year since 2000 and is named after the legendary cricket captain Allan Border. 

This medal has a cricketing equivalent to that of a Brownlow Medal in footy or the Dally M Medal in rugby league. One of the few in the cricketing arena-and entirely voted on by fellow players, media, and umpires-it is the last final recognition from peers for an exceptional effort in wielding the willow or bowling a mean spell.

5.The NRL premiership trophy

One of the premier symbols of sporting accolades in Australia, the NRL premiership trophy is conferred annually to the champions of the National Rugby League.

It is this superb trophy that stands tall at 75 cm and weighs a hefty 20 kg. Cast solely in solid sterling silver, the three-handled trophy carries elaborate Victorian decorations and the NRL logo gallantly embossed at the frontside of this.

Etched on the trophy would be found the names of every premiership winning team dating back to 1908. To NRL players and fans alike, the absolute dream that they would be able to realize would be to get their hands on this most famous trophy.

Lifting it in the air against the roar of the crowd on Grand Final day would be the most euphoric hallmark for this in a season of blood, sweat and tears out on the footy field.

6.The Davis Cup Trophy

The Davis Cup Trophy is that quintessential piece of sporting silverware that every true blue Aussie ought to know by heart. This stunning trophy-the ‘Silver Salad Bowl’-has been the greatest of prizes in men’s international team tennis since 1900.

Originally donated by Harvard University student Dwight F. Davis, who went on to become a prominent U.S. politician, it is not a simple trophy: it is an intricate sterling silver bowl sitting atop an elegant wooden plinth.

Over the years, the winning nations’ names have been engraved on plaques mounted around the rim of the bowl. Australia has heaps written across this beauty:

Australia has lifted this trophy an incredible 28 times and is second on the list, next only to the United States.

7.The women’s cricket world cup trophy

The women’s cricket world cup trophy certainly deserves a place among the greats in sporting silverware, one that every true-blue Aussie should be familiar with.

That trophy looks as impressive as it is; standing tall and proud in its gold and silver glory, it was designed to be the ultimate trophy for women’s cricket since the first World Cup, which was held back in 1973.

Over the years, the record of the Australian women’s team has remained pretty solid for the tournament, taking home the trophy a mammoth five times.

For cricketers, lifting that cup would be the pinnacle; and while donning the green and gold, it would be even more special. It is an emblem of excellence in the sport and a genuine source of pride for Australian cricket aficionados.

8.The newcombe medal

Yes, the Newcombe Medal would be one of those iconic Aussie sports prizes that any real sports fan in this country should know about.

Put after the famous John Newcombe, the tennis champ himself, this shiny prize is pretty much the holy grail to Australia’s top tennis players.

Each year, the best of the best in Australian tennis come together, battling for the honor of etching their name on this medal’s face and becoming acknowledged best elite tennis player of that year.

Not just raw talent and athleticism, though-the winner has to display top-notch sportsmanship, character, and that never-say-die Aussie spirit on and off the court.

9.The Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race trophy

Sydney Hobart Yacht Race trophy One of the most iconic and coveted pieces of sporting silverware for Australia, this trophy each year stands to an overall winner of the awesome, 630 nautical mile-long race and offers the finest expression of endurance and excellence in yachting.

A hefty pure silver trophy cup itself is an imposing sight, with highly ornate handles and an exquisite design befitting the distilled event in a prestigious race.

It was first awarded in 1949 to the inaugural race victors, but numerous oarsmen have now held it aloft to be the champions among greatest sailors Australia ever saw.

10.The Australian Open Trophy

The Australian Open trophy, which is also known by the name of the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup, is one of the most iconic and prestigious trophies in all of sports.

The hypothetical individual dreams of lifting it overhead after two weeks in competition with Melbourne Park every January. The trophy is a fine piece of silverware-made of sterling silver, standing almost a meter tall and weighing more than 20 kilograms.

The three-handled cup design, denoting Australia, New Zealand, and the USA, represents the three nations competing at the first Australian Open in 1905.

Through the decades, such brand legends of tennis history as Rod Laver, Margaret Court, Novak Djokovic, and Serena Williams have had the privilege of lifting above their head in victory the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup as the champions of the Australian Open.